delta5(10)-estrene-9alpha, 17beta-diol-3-one and its 17-carboxylic acid esters



United States Patent 3,176,031 A -ESTRENE-9a,17B-DIOL-3-QNE AND ITS 1'7-CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS Gerard Nomine, Noisy-le-Sec, Seine, and Robert Buconrt,

Clichy sous Bois, and .lean Tessier, Paris, France, assignors to Roussel-UCLAF, S.A., Paris, France, a corporation of France N0 Drawing. Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,164 Claims priority, application France, May 2, 1962, 896,172 8 Claims. (Cl. 260-39145) The invention relates to the novel product A -estrene- 9a,17,8-diol-3'one and its esters having the formula wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and an acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and to a novel process for preparing the said products.

It is an object of the invention to provide the novel product, A -estrene-9u,17/3-dio1-3-one and its 17-carboxylic acid esters.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel process for the preparation of A -estrene-9a,17,8-diol- 3-one and its 17-carboxylic acid esters.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious from the following detailed description.

The novel products of the invention are A -estrene- 9a,17,8-diol-3-one and its esters having the formula wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and an acyl radical of an organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

The acyl radical of the organic carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms may be derived from an aliphatic aromatic, cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic carboxylic acid. Examples of suitable acids are alkanoic acids, such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid, trirnethyl acetic acid, caproic acid, fl-trimethyl propionic acid, heptanoic acid, caprylic acid, pelarginic acid, capric acid, undecylic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid; alkenoic acids, such as undecylenic acid and oleic acid, cycloalkyl carboxylic acids, such as cyclopentyl carboxylic acid, cyclopropyl carboxylic acid, cyclobutyl carboxylic acid and cyclohexyl carboxylic acid; cycloalkyl alkanoic acids, such as cyclopentyl acetic acid, cyclohexyl acetic acid, cyclopentyl propionic acid and cyclohexyl propi'onic acid, arylalkanoic acids, such as phenyl acetic acid and phenyl propionic acid; aryl carboxylic acids, such as benzoic acid and 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid; phenoxy alkanoic acids, such as phenoxy acetic acid, p-chlorophenoxy acetic acid, 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, 4-ter-butylphenoxy acetic acid, 3-phenoxy propionic acid and 4-phen0xy butyric acid; heterocyclic carboxylic acids, such as furane- Z-carboxylic acid, S-ter-butylfurane-Z-carboxylic acid, 5-

3,176,031 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 bromofurane-Z-carboxylic acid and nicotinic acids; B-ketoalkanoic acids, such as acetylacetic acid, propionylacetic acid and butyrylacetic acid; amino acids, such as diethylaminoacetic acid and aspartic acid.

The novel products of the invention are useful intermediates for the preparation of other steroids. For example, A -estrene-9a,17(3-diol-3-one and its l7-carhoxylic acid esters can be dehydrated by heating or by acid treatment to form A estradiene-l7fi-ol-3 one and its 17-carboxylic acid esters which are known to have anabolic activity without androgenic activity.

The novel process of the invention for the preparation of A -estrene-9a,17fi-diol-3-one and its 17-carboxylic acid esters comprises subjecting 9a,10a,epoxy-A -estrene- 17B-ol-3-one or its 17-carboxylic acid esters to catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum and palladium in a neutral or alkaline medium to form A -estrene-9e,l7fldiol-3-one or its 17-carboxylic acid esters.

If alkaline conditions are employed for the catalytic hydrogenation, the platinum or palladium is preferably on an alkaline earth metal carbonate support. Examples of suitable carbonates are strontium carbonate, barium carbonate and calcium carbonate. Palladium is the preferred metal.

A tertiary base is the preferred solvent. when the catalytic hydrogenation is conducted under alkaline conditions. Examples of suitable tertiary bases are pyridine, N-lower alkyl pyridines, such as collidine, picolines, such as DL,Y-1lltldll1, N-lower alkyl morpholines, such as N- methyl morpholine and N-ethyl morpholine, N-lower alkyl piperidines, such as N-methyl piperidine, N-ethyl piperidine and N-amyl piperidine and tertiary amines, such as trimethylamine, triethylamine, dimethylaniline, diethylaniline, etc.

When the catalytic hydrogenation is effected under neutral conditions, the solvent is preferably ethanol or ethyl acetate and the catalyst is preferably palladium on an activated carbon support.

The 17-carboxylic acid esters of 9cc,10 x-epoxy-A estrene-17B-ol-3-one used as starting materials can be prepared according to the process described in US. Patent No. 3,055,885 and 9a,IOa-epoxy-M-estrene-17,8-o1-3-one can be prepared by the process described in the commonly assigned, copending US. application Serial No. 272,204, filed on April 11, 1963. The said process comprises reducing 9a,llla-epoxy-17B-acy1oxy-A -estrene-3-one to form 9a,lOoc-epoxy-17fl-acyloxy-A -estrene-3-01, saponifying the latter under alkaline conditions to form 9a,l0a-epoxy-A estrene-3,l7fl-diol and oxidizing the latter to 9e,10otepoxy-A -estrene-l7B-ol-3-one.

In the following examples there are described several preferred embodiments to illustrate the invention. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments.

EXAMPLE I Preparation of 175-herzzoyl0xy-A -estrene-9a-0l-3-0ne Step A.Preparati0n of the catalyst: Palladium hydroxide was precipitated starting from an aqueous solution containing 20% of palladium chloride on strontium carbonate by bringing the pH of the solution to 7 by the addition of N sodium hydroxide solution. The precipitated catalyst was vacuum filtered, washed with water, and dried. A product containing about 10% of palladium hydroxide Was obtained. 362 mg. of this product were introduced into cc. of pyridine and subjected to hydrogenation for a period of 2 hours whereby about 70 cc. of gas were absorbed.

Step B.Reducti0n of 17,8-benz0yloxy-QuJOa-epoxy- A -estrene-3-one: 3 gm. of the l7,B-benzoyloxy-9 x,10a-

eqoXy-A -estrene-3-one, prepared according to US. Patent No. 3,055,885, were introduced into the pyridinic suspension of the hydrogenated catalyst of Step A. The reaction mixture was subjected to hydrogenation for a period of 4 hours during which the volume of gas absorbed was about 170 cc. The hydrogenated solution was filtered and the filtrate was evaporated to dryness under vacuum. The raw product obtained was subjected to chromatography through magnesium silicate and eluted with methylene chloride containing 1 part per thousand of pyridine. The eluate furnished, rafter evaporation to dryness, 2.4 gm. of l7/3-benzoyloXy-A estrene-9oc-ol-3-one. After recrystallization from metha- 1101 containing 1 part per thousand of pyridine the product had a melting point of 207 C. and a specific rotation [w] =+2l9 (c.=0.5% in pyridine).

The product occurred in the form of white platelets and was soluble in chloroform, hot methanol, containing 0.1 part per thousand of pyridine, hot ethanol, hot acetone, and hot benzene, very slightly soluble in ether ind insoluble in water.

Analysis for C H O molecular weight=394.49: Calculated C, 76.1%; H, 7.6%. Found C, 75.9%; H, 7.6%.

This compound is not described in the literature.

In an analogous manner, A -estrene-9ot,17/3-diol-3- one was obtained by hydrogenating 9a,l0a-epoXy-A estrene-17,8-ol-3-one.

Step C.Dehydratin of17fi-benzoyl0xy-A -estrene- 9a-0l-3-0ne: 0.200 gm. of 17/3-benzoyloxy-A -estrene- 9a-ol-3-one were dissolved in 2 cc. of pyridine. 10 cc. of ethyl acetate were added thereto and the mixture was heated to boiling under reflux for a period of one hour. The solvent was evaporated under vacuum and the residue was redissolved in 5 cc. of ethanol and heated again to reflux for a period of one hour. The solvent was again evaporated under vacuum. The residue was triturated with methanol and solidified into a crystalline product to provide 0.164 gm. of 17,8-benzoyloxy-A estradiene-3-one.

EXAMPLE II Preparation of 17fi-benzoyl0xy-A -estren e-9a-ol-3-one 175 benzoyloxy 90.,1Ooz epoxy-M-estrene-Bcne was catalytically hydrogenated in a 95% ethanol solution in the presence of palladized carbon black to form 175- benzoyloxy A500) estrene-9a-ol-3-one. Similar results were obtained by using ethyl acetate as the solvent rather than 95% ethanol.

In an analogous manner, 9u,10m-epoxy-A -estrene-17,8- ol-3-one was catalytically hydrogenated to form A estrene-9u-cl-3-one.

Various modifications of the process of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof and it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An estrene compound having the formula Cums having 1 to 18 carbon atoms.

2. l7fi-benzoyloXy-A -estrene-9x-ol-3-0ne.

3. A process for the preparation of a M -estrene compound having the formula l -0R p3 wherein R has the above definition in the presence of a metal catalyst selected from the group consisting of paladium and platinum to form the said M -estrene.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the hydrogenation is effected in the presence of palladium on an inert support.

5. The process of claim 3 wherein the hydrogenation is effected in a tertiary base.

6. The process of claim 3 wherein the hydrogenation is eifected in pyridine.

7. The process of claim 3 wherein the hydrogenation is effected under neutral conditions in a solvent selected from the group consisting of ethanol and ethyl acetate.

8. A process for the preparation of a M -estrene compound having the formula wherein R has the above definition in pyridine in the presence of palladium on an alkaline earth metal carbonate support to form the said M -estrene and recovering the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,846,452 8/58 Campbell et a1. 260-3974 2,991,230 7/6l Kita l5l 3,040,065 6/62 Schneider et al 260-397.3 3,055,885 9/62 Nomine et al 260-239.5

LEWIS GOTTS, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ESTRENE COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA 